Welcome to Issue #111 of SIN.
The sake festival season is in full swing here in Japan. The Niigata Sake no Jin wrapped up a few weeks back, then there was Sake Spring in Kyoto, Kamigata Nihonshu World in Osaka, and Tokyo has just enjoyed a week of indulgence with Craft Sake Week.
And that’s just some of the events in the major cities. Sake events are all over the place this time of year and it’s a great time to get out, try some sake and meet some of the brewers. The good news is that they’re not over yet, so if you have the means, get out and enjoy some sake - wherever you are.
And now for the news…
Ishikawa Brewery Updates
Hiroshima- Fujii Shuzō (Ryūsei) has collaborated with Hiyoshi Shuzōten as part of the “Don’t Stop Brewing In Noto” project, which is being supported through crowdfunding drives. The project is designed to find support for the breweries in the Noto region who are still recovering from the January 1 earthquake.
At the end of February Fujii Shuzō began production of sake which is being made using rice and kōji sourced from Ishikawa Prefecture. The sake is being produced in accordance with specs provided by Akira Hiyoshi, toji at Hiyoshi Shuzōten.
The sake, which will be labeled Ore no sake (My Sake), will be available through various sake outlets with a portion of proceeds from sales going toward the rebuilding of Hiyoshi Shuzōten.
Meanwhile, Tsuruno Shuzōten teamed up with Fukumitsuya to brew together in April.
The collaboration sake is being made using rice that was salvaged from the devastation of Tsuruno Shuzōten’s brewing facilities.
The brewing duo plan to produce two sake: Taniizumi, Tsuruno Shuzōten’s brand, and another sake using a combination of yeast from each brewery.
Shintaro Tsuruno, the 14th generation kuramoto of Tsuruno Shuzōten was ready to give up on the family business, however he was encouraged by sake fans and fellow brewers to continue despite the hardships involved in reviving the company.
The sake will be ready for pressing in May.
Source - Makuake | Hokkoku
JG: As always, we love to see all these cooperation efforts amongst erstwhile competitors. Especially interesting to me is the difference in sheer scale of production between, for example, Fukumitsuya and Tsuruno Shuzōten. One might think they would have little contact or interaction with each other, but nevertheless they are working together. Very inspiring, and we wish them all success.
日吉酒造店（白駒）, 藤井酒造（龍勢）, 鶴野酒造（谷泉）, 福光屋（加賀鳶）
Another Advancement In Sake Convenience
Shimane- Sake is available in yet another new format with the recent release from Rihaku Shuzō of “pouch sake”.
As a fan of spending time outdoors, brewery president, Yuichiro Tanaka conceived the idea as an easy way to carry sake in a cooler box when out and about as well as being easy to squeeze into a refrigerator.
The plastic squeeze pouches also serve as a counter to the ongoing bottle shortage issue that has been troubling the industry in recent years.
The pouch is easy to store and resealable. After serving, air can be squeezed from the pouch to ensure freshness and less CO2 contact. The pouch can even be heated by placing it directly in hot water. Disposal is also simple as the pouch can be rolled up and easily disposed of with regular waste.
Despite the convenience with such a vessel, the brewery does not advise drinking directly from the pouch as it is a one way ticket to quick inebriation. Instead the brewery suggests consumers pour the sake from the pouch into cups for best enjoyment.
Rihaku Shuzō also hopes the concept will catch on as a convenient way to purchase sake as a souvenir as opposed to purchasing heavy, cumbersome bottles.
Three varieties of Rihaku sake are on sale in pouch format.
Rihaku junmai ginjō Chotokusen WANDERING POET (300ml JPY850, 180ml JPY550.)
Rihaku Karakuchi tokubetsu junmai Yamatano Orochi
Rihaku tokubetsu junmai
(300ml JPY700, 180ml JPY450.)
Source - Asahi
JG: The pouches are a great idea, indeed maybe a bit too convenient. But I agree, I would need to pour that into a glass to warm up to sake in a pouch, no pun intended. Otherwise it just feels like a Weider-In jelly or similar goo pack. And I can vouch for the quality of the sake from this producer that is going into said pouches!
李白 純米吟醸 超特撰 WANDERING POET , 李白 辛口特別純米酒 やまたのおろち
李白 特別純米酒
Sapporo Goes Low
Hokkaido- This year’s Sapporo NTA New Sake Competition (Shinshu Kanpyōkai), saw 16 breweries in Hokkaido submit 103 sake for appraisal with a new category also introduced into the competition
Alongside regionally specific categories such as “Ginjō Produced with Hokkaido Rice Division”, the “Keiseimai Gokumisake Division” (sake made with lightly milled rice for harmonious complexity) made its debut. Sake that has been made with rice milled to levels lower than 70% are eligible for the new category.
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